Contacts

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Key contacts

Africa RISING is a program taking place over three regions of Africa (East and Southern Africa, Ethiopian Highlands, West Africa), with integral inputs from the M&E team based in Washington DC, working on the fourth and final project. This page keeps track of key people who are involved in the different parts of this complex program, as well as their roles.

East and Southern Africa


  • Adebayo Abass (a.adebayo[at]cgiar.org), food technology/post harvest handling, Tanzania - IITA
  • Agnes Mwangwela (amwangwela[at]bunda.luanar.mw), nutrition and local level food processing, Malawi - LUANAR
  • Alene Arega (a.arega[at]cgiar.org) socio-economic expertise for SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - IITA
  • Annily Msukwa (Annilymsukwa[at]yahoo.co.uk), Ntcheu and Dedza, Malawi - DAES
  • Anthony Kimaro (a.kimaro[at]cgiar.org), agro forestry specialist, Kongwa-Kiteto, Tanzania - ICRAF. See a portrait of Anthony Kimaro on the website
  • Aston Mulwafu (a.mulwafu[at]cgiar.org), livestock intensification, Kongwa/Kiteto, Tanzania - ICRAF
  • Bekele Hundie Kotu (b.kotu[at]cgiar.org) socio-economic research, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia - IITA
  • Ben Lukuyu, (b.lukuyu[at]cgiar.org), animal nutrition, Babati site - ILRI
  • Betserai Nyoka (b.nyoka[at]cgiar.org), livestock intensification, Malawi - ICRAF
  • Catherine Njuguna (c.njuguna[at]cgiar.org), project communication specialist, Tanzania - IITA
  • Christian Thierfelder (c.thierfelder[at]cgiar.org, cropping systems specialist, SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - CIMMYT
  • Dan Makumbi (d.makumbi[at]cgiar.org), maize productivity enhancement, Tanzania - CIMMYT
  • Danny Coyne (d.coyne{at]cgiar.org), vegetable IPM, Babati, Tanzania - IITA
  • Davies Melele (daviesmelele[at]gmail.com) collaborator ZARI maize variety testing SIMLEZA-Africa RISING-Zambia - ZARI
  • Desta Lulseged (lt.desta[at]cgiar.org), beans integration (and soils) Malawi - CIAT
  • Elirehema Swai (eyswai[at]yahoo.com), Kongwa/Kiteto, Tanzania - Hombolo ARI
  • Fanny Chigwa (fancchigwa[at]yahoo.com) , animal science/ livestock intensification, Malawi - LUANAR
  • Festo Ngulu (ngulufsale[at]gmail.com), co-PI, Babati,Tanzania - Consultant agronomist. See a portrait of Festo Ngulu on the website.
  • Fred Kizito (f.kizito[at]cgiar.org) Water resources, Babati, Tanzania - CIAT
  • Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon (i.zeledon[at]cgiar.org), Project Coordinator for East and Southern Africa - IITA
  • Jonathan Odhong' (j.odhong[at]cgiar.org), Research Comunication Specialist - IITA
  • Gundula Fischer (g.fischer[at]cgiar.org), Africa RISING Gender Specialist - IITA
  • Isaac Jambo (isaac.jambo[at]yahoo.com), Socio-economics, Africa RISING Research Assistant, Malawi
  • Jeffrey Oliver (j.oliver[at]cgiar.org), project communication specialist, Malawi and Zambia - IITA
  • Jens Andersson (j.andersson[at]cgiar.org Agricultural innovation system specialist, SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia -CIMMYT
  • Jeroen Groot (jeroen.groot[at]wur.nl), Farming Systems Analysis, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia - WU
  • Job Kihara (j.kihara[at]cgiar.org), soil fertility research, Babati, Tanzania - CIAT
  • Julius Manda (j.manda[at]cgiar.org), socio-economic support SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - IITA
  • Jumbo Bright (b.jumbo[at]cgiar.org), maize productivity enhancement, MLND management, Tanzania-CIMMYT
  • Lava Kumar (l.kumar[at]cgiar.org), MLND management specialist, Tanzania - IITA
  • Mateete Bekunda (m.bekunda[at]cgiar.org), Chief Scientist for East and Southern Africa, PI Babati, Tanzania - IITA.See a portrait of Mateete Bekunda on the website.
  • Mulundu Mwila (mmulundu[at]yahoo.com), agronomy and cropping system support, SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - ZARI
  • Munyaradzi Mutenje (m.mutenje[at]cgiar.org), socio-ecomonic support, SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - CIMMYT
  • Mwansa Kabamba (mwansakabamba[at]yahoo.com) ZARI maize improvement SIMLEZA-Africa RISING-Zambia - ZARI
  • Owen Kumwenda (owenkumwenda[at]yahoo.com), Ntcheu and Dedza, Malawi - DAES
  • Patrick Okori (p.okori[at]cgiar.org), action site leader for Kongwa-Kiteto, Tanzania - ICRISAT. Leads the Kongwa-Kiteto team
  • Per Hillbur (per.hillbur[at]mah.se), Babati R4D Platform initiator, technology adoption - consultant. See a portrait of Per Hilbur on the website
  • Peter Setimela (p.setimela[at]cgiar.org), SIMLEZA-Africa RISING activity coordinator, Zambia - CIMMYT
  • Regis Chikowo (chikowor[at]msu.edu), Agronomist/Cropping Systems Modeling and co-PI, Malawi - MSU. Leads the Malawi team. See a portrait of Regis Chikowo on the website
  • Robert Richardson (rbr[at]msu.edu), collaborator, Malawi and PI climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation component, Zambia - MSU. See a portrait of Robert Richardson on the website
  • Rowland Chirwa (r.chirwa[at]cgiar.org), beans integration (and soils), Malawi - CIAT
  • Setegn Gebreyehu (s.gebreyehu[at]cgiar.org), cropping systems specialist, SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - IITA
  • Sieg Snapp (snapp[at]msu.edu), legume systems specialist and PI Malawi - MSU
  • Sileshi Weledesemayat (s.weldesemayat[at]cgiar.org), livestock intensification - Malawi - ICRAF
  • Stephen Lyimo (sdnlyimo[at]yahoo.com), Babati, Tanzania - Selian ARI
  • Victor Afari-Sefa (victor.afari-sefa[at]worldveg.org), vegetable integration, Babati, Tanzania - AVRDC
  • Walter Mupungwa (w.mupungwa[at]cgiar.org), conservation agriculture specialist, SIMLEZA-Africa RISING, Zambia - CIMMYT
  • Wezi Mhango (wezzi2002[at]yahoo.com), agronomy/action research, Malawi - LUANAR

Steering Committee AR East and Southern Africa

Ethiopian Highlands

  • Alan Duncan (a.duncan [at] cgiar.org) Livestock feed and innovation specialist - ILRI. See a portrait of Alan Duncan on the website. No longer working with Africa RISING.
  • Annah Kimeu (a.m.kimeu [at] cgiar.org) Research Assistant - CIAT
  • Annet Mulema (a.mulema [at] cgiar.org) Gender specialist - ILRI
  • Aster Gebrekirstos(a.gebrekirstos [at] cgiar.org) Scientist and project PI for the AfricaRISING programme - ICRAF. See a portrait of Aster Gebrekirstos on the website
  • Barbara Rischkowsky (B.Rischkowsky [at] cgiar.org)Principal Livestock Scientist-ICARDA
  • Beth Cullen (B.Cullen[at]cgiar.org) Scientist - Livelihoods and multi-stakeholder processes - ILRI. No longer working with Africa RISING.
  • Britta Kowalski (B.Kowalski [at] cgiar.org) - CIP
  • Eliud Birachi(e.birachi [at] cgiar.org) Scientist and PI for Africa RISING program - CIAT. See a portrait of Eliud Birachi on the website
  • Ewen Le Borgne (e.leborgne [at] cgiar.org), Program and Ethiopia project knowledge sharing and communication specialist; facilitating various meetings at project and program level (and important regional meetings for ESA/WA occasionally) - ILRI
  • Frederic Baudron (F.baudron [at] cgiar.org) - CIMMYT
  • Iain A Wright(i.wright[at]cgiar.org),Director,Program Leader Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity and Director General’s Representative in Ethiopia-ILRI
  • Jane Wamatu (J.Wamatu [at] cgiar.org) Small Ruminant Nutritionist -ICARDA
  • Kindu Mekonnen (k.mekonnen [at] cgiar.org] Ethiopian Highlands project sub-coordinator - ILRI
  • Kiros Meles Hadgu (k.hadgu [at] cgiar.org) Country Representative for Ethiopia and Scientist - ICRAF
  • Peter Ballantyne (p.ballantyne [at] cgiar.org), Program communication coordinator - ILRI
  • Peter Thorne (p.thorne [at] cgiar.org), Project coordinator and chief scientist for the Ethiopian Highlands - ILRI. See a portrait of Peter Thorne on the website
  • Robin Buruchara (r.buruchara [at] cgiar.org), Africa Coordinator- CIAT
  • Samuel Gemeda (S.Gameda[at]cgiar.org),Director, Soil Health and Fertility Program, Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency- ATA
  • Seid Ahmed Kemal (S.A.Kemal [at] cgiar.org )Pulse Pathologist- ICARDA
  • Selamyihun Kidanu (selamyihunk[at]yahoo.com)-ATA
  • Simret Yasabu (s.yasabu [at] cgiar.org), Program and Ethiopia project communication specialist - primary contact person for communication questions - ILRI

West Africa

  • Abdou Tenkouano (abdou.tenkouano[at]worldveg.org), vegetable integration, Mali and Ghana - AVRDC
  • Agathe Diama (a.diama[at]cgiar.org) communication specialist for Mali-based Africa RISING activities - ICRISAT. See a portrait of Agathe Diama on the website
  • Albert Rouamba (albert.rouamba[at]worldveg.org), vegetable integration, Mali - AVRDC
  • Asamoah Larbi (a.larbi[at]cgiar.org), chief scientist for West Africa - IITA
  • Augustine Ayantunde (a.ayantunde[at]cgiar.org), Livestock and natural resource management, Mali and Ghana- ILRI
  • Bekele Hundie Kotu (b.kotu[at]cgiar.org), socio-economic research, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia - IITA
  • Caroline Sobgui - AVRDC
  • Clarisse Umutoni (c.umutoni@cgiar.org.) - ILRI. Voir le portrait de Clarisse sur le site web.
  • DB Okai (dbokai.agric[at]knust.edu.gh), Animal nutrition, Ghana - KNUST
  • Franklin Avornyo (favornyo[at]yahoo.com), Ruminant nutrition, Ghana- ARI
  • Fred Kizito (f.kizito[at]cgiar.org), Soil and Land Management, Ghana - CIAT
  • Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon (i.zeledon[at]cgiar.org), Project coordinator for West Africa IITA
  • Jonathan Odhong' (j.odhong[at]cgiar.org), Research Comunication Specialist - IITA
  • Gundula Fischer (g.fischer[at]cgiar.org), Africa RISING Gender Specialist - IITA
  • Joachim Binam (j.binam[at]cgiar.org), Lead community mobilization and innovation platform WP, Mali - ICRAF
  • Katrien Descheemaeker (katrien.descheemaeker[at]wur.nl), farming systems analysis, Ghana and Mali - WU
  • Mahama Saaka (mmsaaka[at]gmail.com), Community nutrition, Ghana - UDS
  • Mary Glover (mayamen[at]yahoo.com), Human nutrition, Ghana - FRI
  • Ramajita Tabo (r.tabo[at]cgiar.org), PI Mali - ICRISAT
  • Saaka Buah (ssbuah[at]yahoo.com), Agronomy and plant nutrition, Ghana - SARI
  • Tim Ellis (t.ellis[at]cgiar.org), Water Management, Ghana - IWMI
  • Zemadim Birhanu (z.birhanu[at]cgiar.org), activity coordinator Mali - ICRISAT

More information about the Steering Committee of West Africa

Program level activities

  • Apurba Shee (a.shee [at] cgiar.org) Regional M&E coordinator - IFPRI. See a portrait of Apurba Shee on the website
  • Beliyou A. Haile (B.Haile [at] cgiar.org) Post Doctoral Fellow - IFPRI. See a portrait of Beliyou Haile on the website
  • Carlo Azzarri (c.azzarri [at] cgiar.org), Team leader Monitoring and Evaluation - IFPRI. See a portrait of Carlo Azzarri on the website
  • Cleophelia Roberts (C.Roberts [at] cgiar.org), Senior Research Analyst - IFPRI. See a portrait of Cleo Roberts on the website
  • Daniel Duarte (dduarte [at] spatialdev.com) - Software Developer at Spatial Development (Seattle) - IFPRI
  • Jawoo Koo (j.koo [at] cgiar.org). Research fellow - IFPRI. See a portrait of Jawoo Koo on the website.
  • Jerry Glover (jglover [at] usaid.gov ) Senior Sustainable Agricultural Systems Advisor - USAID
  • Kenton Dashiell (K.Dashiell [at] cgiar.org) Deputy Deputy Director General|Partnerships and Capacity Development – IITA
  • Maria Comanescu (M.Comanescu [at] cgiar.org), Research Analyst - IFPRI
  • Melanie Bacou (mel [at] mbacou.com) - Collaborator (Washington DC) - IFPRI. See a portrait of Melanie Bacou on the website
  • Todd Slind (tslind [at] spatialdev.com) – Founder/Principal of Spatial Development (Seattle) - IFPRI
  • Tracy K. Powell (tpowell [at] usaid.gov) International Research Advisor / AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow - USAID
  • Zhe Guo (Z.Guo [at] cgiar.org), GIS Coordinator - IFPRI

Scientific Advisory Group (SAG)

  • Christine Okali, Independent Consultant and Associate of University of East Anglia. Chair of HumidTropics Advisory Committee.
  • Dave Harris, Independent Consultant, UK
  • Maggie Gill, Senior Fellow, DFID. Member of ISPC CGIAR
  • Moses Tenywa Makooma, Makerere University, Uganda
  • Salvador Fernández Rivera, INIFAP, Mexico. CIMMYT Board Member.
More info about the SAG